Therapeutic chair



E. R. MONROE THERAPEUTIC CHAIR Filed Ogt. 18, 1926 2 She etsSheet 1.

Patented on. 11, 1927.

UNITED STATES EDWARD R. MONROE, F BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

THERAPEUTIC CHAIR.

The invention relates to an electromechancal therapeutic chair.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple, practicaland comparatively inexpensive electromechanical therapeutic chair ofstrong and durable construction equipped with a mechanical deviceadapted to travel automatically from the base of the spine to the backof the head and capable of simultaneously kneading the body of thepatient at opposite sides of the spine and thereby give a thoroughrelaxing of the tissues and a stimulation of the nerve system. It isalso an object of the invention to provide means for enabling a currentof electricity to be passed through the body of the patientsimultaneously with the kneading operation of the mechanical device.

W'ith these and other objects in view the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of arts, hereina'fterfully described, illustratec in the accompanying drawings and pointedout in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that variouschanges in the form, proportion and minor details of construction,within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departingfrom the spirit or sacrificmg any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings in which like characters of reference designatecorresponding parts in the several figures. I I

Fig. 1 is a perspective view 'of "a therapeutic chair constructed inaccordance with this invent-ion.

Fig. 2 is a detail view illustrating the construction of the splitelevating nut.

Fig. 3 is a detail view illustrating the arrangement of the rotaryelectrical contact.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of the top of the device illustratingthe arrangement of the top bracket, and the medical induction coil andthe electrical connections for controlling the same.

Fig. 5 is a sectional viewpartly in elevation illustrating theconstruction of the mechanism for rotating and elevating the revolvlLtherapeutic knuckles.

' "6-315 a sectional View upon the line f Fig. 5.

7 is a detail sectional view on the line 7 of Fig. 6.

a sectional view on the line '8-8 r is a detail sectional View of thedrivir ig and feather key.

Application filed October 18, 1826.

Serial No. 142,468.

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the motion or path ofmovement of the knuckles on the spine.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated the preferredembodiment of the invention, 1 designates a main chair frame adapted tobe constructed of any su-itable material or preferably made of tubularmetal as shown. Mounted between the sides of the main chair frame 1 isaback frame 2 also preferably constructed of tubular metal and composedof spaced parallel sides and a to engage pins 6 projecting laterallyfrom the outer faces of the sides of the back frame 2. The back frame 3supportsa canvas back,

or flexiblessheet 7 secured to the sides of the back frame by means ofremovable pins 8, but any other suitable means, such as lacing 'may ofcourse beemployed for attaching the side edges of the flexible sheet orbacking to the sides of the back frame.

The sides of the back frame have mounted on them at their lower endsbrackets 9, between which is pivoted a baseboard 10 by means of pins 11.The brackets 9 extend rearwardly from the sides of the back frame 2 andthe base board or supporting member 10 is adapted to rock on the pivotsto accommodate itself to the automatic adjustment of the kneadingmechanism, herein afterward fully explained.

The base-board or member 10 supports a gear case 12 shown in 'sectioninFig. 5 of the drawing andhousing a worm gear 13, which is mounted on ascrew shaft 14. The worm gear 13 meshes with a worm wheel 15 which ismounted-on a driven shaft 16. The driven shaft 16 has keyed or otherwisesecured to it a driven pulley 17 which is connected by a and suitablyfixed to a shaft 18 of an elec ricmotor 18 which is also mounted theease-board supporting member i belt 1'7 with a drive pulley 18 mounted"on a The screw shaft 14 which extends substan tially the length of theback frame 2 is held at its lower end in a. thrust bearing 19 mounted inthe bottom of the gear casing 12, and the upper end of the screw shaft14 is journaled in an upper bear ng 21 at the lower portion of a slide20. The slide is mounted in a slot 23 extending rearwardly therefrom asclearly illustrated in Fig. of the drawings. The slide 20 is adapted tomove backwardly and forwardly in the said slot 23 to accommodate itselfto the automatic adjustmentof the kneading mechanism and is yieldablyurged forward- "sides of the slide, and connected with the ly by coiledsprings 24'located at opposite rear portion of the same and the frontportion of the bracket 22. V

I The screw shaft 14 has mounted on it a slidable member 25 providedwithlaterally extending housings 25 receiving bevelled gears 26 and 2?mounted on .bolts 28 and 29'1'espectively. The bolts 28 211121-29 arescrewed into the slidable member 25 which also carri-es a rot-arybeveled pinion 80. The rotary beveled pinion is slidablyinterlocked iwith the screw shaft 14 by 'means of a feather key 30" of the pinion anda groove 14 of the screw shaft 14, and the said pinion 30 meshes withthe beveled gears 26 whereby when the screw shaft 14 is rotated,

rotary motion will be communicated. to the said gears 26 and 27. 30which has an extending hub or sleeve portion 30 is adapted toslide onthe rotary screw 14 and it will be seen by reference to Figs. 7 and 8 ofthe drawings that the face of the beveled gear 27 is approximately thewidth of'the face of the beveled gear 26,

thereby providing sufficient space to permit ber 31, 32, which areprovided at their peripheries with one or more raised portions orknuckles 31 or 32 adapted to knead the flesh of the patient adjacent thespine as hereinafter more fully explained.

- The slidable member 25 is equipped with a rearwardly extending bracket25 projecting from the said slidable member substantially at rightangles to the same, and

'provided at its outer ends with a-slrot or recess 25 which receivesand. enables the bracket to fit over a fixed guide rod 24 adapted tohold the slidable member 25 from rotary movementwhen' the screw shaft 14is rotated.

Located dir ctly beneath the beveled pin- The beveled pinion tions ofthe nut, and the latter is yieldably maintained in engagement with thethreads of the shaft 14 by the coiled spring 35 connected at its ends tolaterally projecting arms 34 of the split nut. The grip portions 32 areadapted to be compressed as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of thedrawings, to carry the sections of the nut out of engagement with thethreads of the shaft 14, to permit the slidable member 25 to be movedupwardly or downwardly on the screw shaft to arrange the kneadingmechanism in proper position with relation to the back ofthe patient.

Thechair is equipped with a medical induction coil 36 having primary andsecondary windings and connected by wire conductors 37 and 38 with a drycell or other battery 36 i nount-ed on the base-board or supportingmember 10. The conducting wires 37 and 38'are attachedto binding posts iand 40of the induction coil as clearly indicated in Fig. 3 of thedrawings, and the base of the induction coil is provided with threebinding posts 41, 42 and 43, from which either-a primary or secondarycurrent can be transmitted in the usual manner. The medical inductioncoil may be of any preferred construction and is operated in the usualmanner for controlling the strength of the current. 7

Leading from the binding post 43 is a conducting wire 43 extending to ametal contact plate or brush secured to a non-conducting member 45 bymeans'of a screw 46 as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings,and the said member 45 whichis constructed of tiber or othernon-conducting material is seated on the upper end of the guide rod 44and is secured to the same bv thumb screw 47. Inliig. 4 of the drawingsthe contact plate 44 is shown in contact and electrical engagement witha rotary contact or member 48 secured to the screw shaft 14 by means ofa set screw 49 and is adapted to afford a continuous current to thepatient while the screw is being rotated. and when thesaid contact plateor member 44 is movedoutward and arranged in the position illustrated indotted lines in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the current will be interruptedby the cut-away portion of the rotary member 48. In the operation of theelectromechanical therapeutic chair the patient is seated in the chair,and the operator by closing in on the handles 33 and opening the splitnut enables the slidable member and the pinion to slide freely on thescrew 14 and be raised or lowered to any desired position along thespine of'the patient, and when the operator releases his grip on thehandles 34 the spring will automatically carry the sections of the nutinto engagement with the screw .14. The motor 18 which is designed to beconnected with an ordinary lighting circuit is started and motion istransmitted by the driving mechanism to the screw 14 which will becontinuously rotated as long as the motor is in operation. It will bereadily seen that the rotation of the shaft engaging threads of thesplit nut will elevate the same, and the slidable member 25 andsimultaneously rotate the beveled gear 30 through the interlocking ofthe same with the shaft 14 by the said groove 14 and theyfeather key 14Rotary motion will thus be communicated to the beveled gear 26, and thekneading of the knuckle member 31 will be rotated in the direction ofthe arrow 31". The beveled gear 26 being in mesh with the other beveledgear 27, the kneading or knuckle member of the latter will be caused torotate in the direction of the arrow 32*. hen the patient leans backagainst the canvas of flexible sheet, the knuckle projections 31 and 32will contact with and knead the fleshy part of the back on each side ofthe spine, the direction of this action being clearly indicated in Fig.11 of the drawings. By the angular position of the kneading or knucklemembers 31 and 32 it will be clear that the knuckles 51 and 32 will havean upward and slightly outward movement while in contact with the back,the force or harshness of the rub being regu lated by the pressure whichthe patient exerts against the canvas sheet or backing 7. As the base orsupporting member 10 is pivotally mounted between the brackets 9, andthe slide 20 is movable backwardly and forwardly in the slot .43 of thebracket 22 and is yieldably urged forward by the coiled springs 24, theshaft 14 is adapted to swing backwardly and forwardly and the knucklemembers are adapted-to adjust themselves automatically to the contour ofthe spine of the patient. Furthermore the pivotal and yieldable mountingof the mechanism absorbs sudden shocks that would result from a rigidmounting of the shaft. 7

The handles 34 are located at opposite sides of the guide rod 24 andthey operate to prevent rotary movement of the split nut when the screwshaft 14 is rotated by the driving mechanism and the said shaft 14 willthereby operate to elevate the nut and the slidable member and rotarygear 30 carried by and supported upon the said split nut.

Thus it will be seen that while the kneading or knuckle members areoperating on the back of the patient, the slidable member 25 iscontinuously and automatically traveling upward and it continues itsupward movement until the nut comes in contact with a turned downportion 14 of the screw shaft 14. The'reduced or turned downportion 14is cut to a depth of the bottom of the threads and when the nut movesinto the reduced or cut away portion 14 its upward movement and theupward movement of the slidable member and the rotary gear 30 willcease. The slot or keyway 14 is of greater depth than the threads andthe reduced portion 14 so that the said gear 30 will continue its rotarymovement as long as the screw shaft is rotated by the operation of themotor,

It will be readily seen that the adjustment 'of the split nut willenablethe slidable member 25 to be raised and lowered freely on thescrew shaft and placed in any position with relation to the spine of thepatent, and when it is desired to give a combined electric and.

form one pole of the circuit, and by dampening the canvas or by placinga damp towel thereon, the current will pass through the body of thepatient to a foot plate which is connected with'the terminal 42; A footbath may be arranged in the circuit if desired or the terminals 42 maybe attached to hand electrodes or a'sponge and applied to any part ofthe body. By means of the current illustrated in dotted lines 41 and 41'the primary or galvanic current may be passed through the body, thecurrent flowing in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 3 and passingfrom the spine to the footv plate or foot bath and back to the terminal41 by means of a suitable electrical connection.

The wiring from the battery to the coil is so arranged that the primarycurrent alone flows in the direction shown by the arrow,

the strength of the current bein controlled by means of the pulling outanc f moving in of the core 51 which is held in place in the bracket 52by means of notches cut in the bar 58. The bracket 52 is mounted at thetop of the back frame and extends upwardly from the bracket 22, and isprovided in its including a chair frame, a back" the kneading mechanism.

nally of the back frame, a slidable member provided with a nut engagedby the screw whereby theslidable. member 15 moved along theiscrew whenthe latter is rotated, kneading mechanism carried by the slidable memberand means for operating the screw and 2. A; therapeutic chair of theclass described, includingachair frame, a back frame, a supportpivotally mounted on the back frame at :the lower portion thereof, aslidable bearing arranged at the top of the back frame. a screw shaftextending longitudinally' of the back frame and mounted .upon the shaftsupport and in the said slidable bearing, means" mounted on the supportfor rotatingthe screw shaft,a slidable member mounted on the screw.shaft and having a nut engaging the threads thereof whereby the slidablemember is moved. along the screw shaft when the latter is rotated, andkneading mechanism carried by the sliding member and actuated by thescrew shaft.

.3. A therapeutic chair of the class de scribed including a chair frame,a back frame, a screw shaft extending along the back frame,'means,formounting the screw shaft to permit the same to swing toward and from theback frame, a'slidable member mounted on the screw shaft an d having anut engaging the threads thereof and kneading mechanism carried by theslidable member and actuated by, the screw shaft.

4-. A'therapeutic chair ofthe class described, including a chair frame,a back frame, a screw shaft extending along the back frame, means formounting the screw shaft to permit the same to swing toward and from theback frame, a slidable member mounted on the screw shaft and having anut engaging the threads thereof and kneading mechanism comprising arotary kneading or knuckle member, a gear connected with the same andmounted on the sliclable .member and a slidable gear interlocked withand actuated by the'screw shaft and gscribed, including a chair frame, aback frame. a screw shaft extending aloiig'the meshing with the saidgear for rotating the knuckle or kneadlng member.

'5. A therapeutic chair of the class doscribed, provided at the backwith a screw shaft, a slidable member having a sectional nut engagingthe threads of the screw shaft, and provided with mechanically separablemeansfor opening'thenut to slide thesaid member along the screw shaftand kneading mechanism earned by the slldable member and actuated by thescrew shaft.

jshaft,-a slidable member movable along the screw shaft having a nut forengaging the threads thereof, kneading mechanism mounted on the slidablemember and actuated by the screw shaft, a guide rod ext-endinglongitudinally of the said shaft andmeans projecting from the slidablemember for engaging'the guide rod to prevent rotary movement of the saidmember. v

9. A therapeutic chair of the class described, provided with a screwshaft extending along the back of the chair, a slidable member movablealong the screw shaft and having a sectional nut engaging the threads ofthe shaft, said nut being provided with spaced handles for opening thesections of the nut, a guide rod extending longitudinally of the screwshaft and passing between the said handles for holding the nut againstrotary movement, a slottedbracket extending from the sliolable memberand engaging the screw shaft for holding the said member againstslidable movement and kneading mechanism carried by the slidable member.

10. A therapeutic chair oftheclass described, having a pivotal supportmounted at the lower portion of the chair at the back thereof, a.bracket extending from the upper portion at the back of the ehair'andprovided with a guide, a slide operating in the guide, a screwshaftjournaled at its lower end in the said support and at its upper endin the said slide, means connected with the bracket and the slide forurging the screw shaft forwardly, a slidable member movable along thescrew shaft and having a nut for engaging the threads thereof, kneadingmechanism mounted on the slidable member and actuated by a screw shaft,a guide rod connected with the support and the. slide, means carried bythe slidable member and the nut for engaging the slide rod and mechanismfor actuating the screw.

11. A. therapeutic chair of the class described, including a chairframe, a pivotedback frame, a support pivotally mounted on the backframe at the bottom thereof, a

bracket extending from the upper portion of the back frame, a slideoperating in the bracket, a screw shaft journaled in its upper end inthe slide and in its lower end upon the pivoted support, a motor mountedon the pivoted support, driving mechanism for transmitting motion fromthe motor to the screw shaft, a guide rod connected with the pivotedsupport and with the slide, a slidable member movable along the screwshaft and provided with means for engaging the guide rod, a sectionalnut supporting the slidable member, and having operating handles locatedat opposite sides of the guide rod, and kneading mechanism mounted onthe slidable member and actuated by the screw shaft.

12. A therapeutic chair of the class dea reduced portion, a slidablemember m0v-.

able along the screw shaft and provided with v a nut engaging thethreads thereof and movable into the reduced portion of the screw shaftand kneading mechanism mounted on the slidable member, and having a'gear provided with a key engaging the said groove of the screw shaft.

In testimony signature.

EDWARD R. MONROE.

whereof I hereunto affix my

